Art of communicating language for deaf mutes and blind mutes.



No. 720,068. PATENTED FBB.10, 1 0

r Y J. REESE. ART OF COMMUNICATING LANGUAGE FOR DEAF MUTES AND BLIND MUTES.

APPLiOATION FILED AUG. 11l I902.

WITNESSES WKW JM'ENTOR.

1 5 confined to the use of raised letters.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JACOB REESE, OF SHARONI-IILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

ART OF COMMUNICATING LANGUAGE FOR DEAF MUTES AND BLIND MUTES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,068, dated February 10, 1903.

Application filed August 11, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB REESE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sharonhill, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Art of Communicating Language for Deaf Mutes and Blind Mutes, of which the following is a specification.

Hitherto the language of deaf mutes has been confined to the manipulation of the fingers or the movement of the lips, both of which are very difficult to learn and can only be,used in the light and within the range of vision, while the language of blind mutes is By the use of my invention the deaf mutes and blind mutes are enabled to dispense with the finger-and-lip service, as well as the raised-letter method, and converse freely, rapidly, and accurately as well in the dark as in the light.

My invention consists in establishing communication by electric impulses through a circuit in which a source of electricity and a person or persons receiving the impulses form a part, and, further, in certain means under the control of such person or persons for making the impulses with rapidity and facility.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown apparatus for carrying out my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view'of an ordinary battery having electrical conductors provided in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 a similar view showing a variation in the manner of connecting the electrical conductors.

Referring to the drawings, a indicates a binding-post for attaching the positive wire, and b a post for attaching the negative wire.

0 and c are bifurcated wire conductors attached at their upper ends to the postsa and b. To the free end of these conductors and their bifurcated points are attached metallic finger-thimbles which form contact members.

it it indicates the key of the battery.

Now when one person incases the thumb in d and the forefinger in d of one set of conductors andanother person incases the thumb in c and the forefinger in c of the other set and the key end is closed each of the thimbles becomes electrified and both persons are impulsed; but when the thimbles eand e are touched the current is short-circuited and Serial No. 119306. (No model.)

neither party feels the impulse, and if e and e are left open and thimbles d and d are made to touch the current is short circuited and there is no impulse to either party. Thus the impulses may be sent from one to the other with instant rapidity by means of touching and opening the thumb and forefinger thimbles.

In Fig. 2 the battery and the bifurcated wires are the same as in Fig. 1; but the bi furcated part of the wires are attached to the battery and the free ends are attached to the thimbles. The electric result is the same as described in Fig. 1. When the thimbles are apart, both personsholding them are impulsed, and when they are touched there is no impulse. Now by using the Morse code two persons within this circuit can converse together as rapidly, as distinctly, and as accurately as a person can now telegraph a message. There need be no mistakes, as both persons feel the same impulses. The strength of the impulses may be made lighter or stronger by adjusting the regulator 0. When the current is not required, it should be shut off by opening the key it.

By the use of my improved method persons may carry pocket-batteries and converse with each other while walking on the street or while on cars or other mode of transit. They can talk in the dark as well as in the light, and where the house is properly wired persons in different rooms or in difierent beds may commune together. The blind mutes can throw their cumbrous finger-boards away and receive and send their impulses by electricity with as great rapidity as can be done by telegraphing to-day. The school-houses can be wired, so that the teacher can speak to any one or to every scholar in the class-room at the same time and can call any one or class to the office at any time. The great advantage of the bifurcated wires is that they bring both parties in when the circuit is open and throw them both out when either side is shunted. When two parties hold" the thimbles, a third party may send a message to them by using key n; but he could only receive the answer through the thimbles. The thimbles are such as ordinarily used by women in sewing. They have an opening in the end, so as to receive the wire, which may I in the resistance formed by such person, l thereby causing said impulses to be felt by i sender as well as receiver, and maintaining 15 I an unbroken circuit from which any of said persons may be withdrawn at Will.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB REESE.

JESSIE A. M. REESE,

Witnesses: l JULIA A. R. RINDHART. 

